Dispensing container



Sept. 13, 1938., A. J. CHAMBERLAIN DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed June 28 INVENTOR.

LQv- Q ChnmoavLnkn wlw m-mm ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in dispensing ttings for liquid containers and generally aims to provide a fitting of this character which is self-venting and also embodies the fea- 5 ture of a disappearing spout.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing fitting of this character which is simple and durable in its construction, coinpactly organized, reliable and eflici-ent in use, easily il) manipulated, and easy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Another important object of the invention is to so construct and organize the nozzle and spout as to insure the effective operation of the scifventing feature in actual practice.

novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in` which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary View in central vertical longitudinal section illustrating a portion of a top of a container equipped with a dispensing tting embodying the invention and showing the spout in its extended or operative position;

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 but illustratingl the disappearing spout hanging down inside the container in its inoperative position and showing a closure cap applied to the outlet fitting;

Figure 3 is a, fragmentary view illustrating the dispensing fitting in top plan;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on line 5-5 of Figure l, parts being broken away and parts being shown in elevation for the sake of illustration.

Referring to the drawing the numeral I designates generally a metal container which m-ay be of any suitable construction and which is provided with a top I I, preferably inset in the manner indicated in Figures 1 and 2. Thetop II is provided with an oblong opening equipped with a similarly shaped nozzle designated generally at I2. 'I'he nozzle I2 has a vertically disposed upper portion I3 provided around its upper edge with a rolled bead I4 and has an outwardly and downwardly inclining or'aring lower portion I5 formed as an integral continuation of the upper portion I3.

The Haring lower portion I has a horizontally disposed marginal flange I6 which is interseamed Other objects `and advantages reside in certain as indicated at I'I with the margin of the opening in the top II of the container.

A removable closure cap I8 of any suitable construction is provided for the nozzle I2.

A disappearing spout designated generally at 29 is hingedly connected as at 2| to the outlet tting adjacent one end thereof so that the spout may hang downwardly in the can as illustrated in Figure 2 to permit of application of the closure cap I8, or may be swung upwardly and outwardly to the pouring position shown in Figure 1 when cap I 8 is removed. The spout 29 is generally U-shaped in horizontal cross section as will be understood from the drawing, particularly Figure 3, and is made up of side walls or wings 22 disposed in spaced parallel relation and connected transversely at their forward ends by the curved end portion 23 of the spout. The spout is so shaped in vertical cross section that its side wings 22 and curved forward end wall 23 all have a vertical portion 24 designed to snugly fit against the vertical portion I3 of the nozzle and a downwardly and outwardly daring portion 25 designed to snugly interit with the flaring portion I5 of the nozzle when the spout is swung to its pouring position. Rigid lugs or ribs 2B are pressed out from or attached to the vertical portion I3 of the nozzle and are so positioned as to engage the curving edges 22 of the spout so that as the spout is swung up to its pouring position these lugs or ribs will force the spout forwardly to cause it to firmly interfit with the portion of the nozzle with which it is associated. In other wo-rds, the spout is so designed, dimensioned and proportioned that its side wings 22 have tight spring friction engagement with the inner wall of the nozzle as the spout is swung to its operative position.

The major axis of the outlet nozzle is substantially longer than the corresponding axis of the spout so that with the spout in its pouring position there is a substantial venting space 30 rearwardly thereof. The hinge connection 2l is sufriciently loose or sloppy to allow the ribs 26 to exert the camming action described. This action of the lugs lplus the fact that the wings of the spout have snug frictional engagement with the outlet fitting releasably retains the spout in its pouringposition. In this connection, it will be noted that the forward portion ofthe spout overhangs the bead I4 of the forward portion of the nozzle and when retained in this relation,

will not drop back into the container. 'I'he spout,

like the container proper is constituted of sheet metal and hence is possessed of the proper resides in the structure and organization of thespout and its nozzle to insure self-venting at all times and yet provide for the pouring of as large a stream from the container as is practically desirable. When a person tips the container to pour liquid therefrom, the spout being in its extended or pouring position, there is available a spout of ample proportions to allow a stream of any practical or desirable size to be poured therefrom, this following from the substantial extent of th-e side wings of the spout as well as its other dimensions. Moreover, there is a substantial space between the rearniost portions of the edges of the wings of the spout and the rear end of the nozzle so that at the rear of the nozzle there is always a substantial venting opening. These features, together with the fact that the extent of the spout and the extent of the venting opening are always within the full View of the person using the container, will of themselves preclude any possibility of the container being so far tilted as to interfere with the eifective self-venting. In fact, this is practically impossible because any attempt to exceed the capacity of the. spout and consequently to obstruct the venting opening at the rear thereof would, if made, result in spilling of the liquid.

While I have shown and described one construction in which the invention may be advantageously embodied, it is to be understood that the construction shown has been selected merely for the purpose of illustration or example and that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

The invention claimed is:

l. A dispensing fitting for containers comprising a nozzle secured to theV container and projecting therefrom, said nozzle being generally of oblong form, a spout of generally U-shaped form and comprising spaced side wings and a curved connecting portion at one end of the side wings, means mounting the spout for shiftable movement with respect to the nozzle so that it may be projected therefrom in pouring position or may be disposed within the container, the rearrnost portions of the edges of the side wings of the spout being spaced at substantial distance from the rear end of the nozzle whereby to provide an unobstructed venting opening of substantial area through the nozzle and to the rear of the spout in all operative pouring positions of the container.

2. A dispensing fitting for containers comprising a nozzle adapted to be secured to and project from the container, said nozzle being generally of oblong form, a spout of generally U-shaped form and comprising spaced side wings and a curved connecting portion at one end of the side wings, a loose hinge connection between the inner edge of said curved connecting portion and th-e inner edge of one end of the nozzle whereby the spout may be disposed within the container or swung to a position projecting through and beyond said nozzle, the rear edges of the wings being curved, and rigid camming lugs secured to the nozzle and cooperable with the curved edges of the wings for forcing the spout into tight frictional engagement with the nozzle in the extended position of the spout.

3. A dispensing fitting for containers comprising a nozzle secured to the container and projecting therefrom, said nozzle being of oblong form, a spout of generally U-shaped form hingedly supported for pivotal movement with respect to the nozzle and adapted to hang inside the container or to be extended through and beyond the nozzle, said nozzle and said spout having interengageable vertical portions and also interengageable downwardly and outwardly flaring portions, and rigid camming lugs carried by the nozzle and co-operable with the rear portions of the spout to force said interengageable parts into tight friction contact.

4. A dispensing tting for containers comprising a nozzle adapted to beI secured to and project from the container, a disappearing spout, a loose hinge connection between one end of the spout and one end portion of the nozzle whereby the spout may hang down into the container and may be swung up to a position to which it projects therefrom, said spout and said nozzle having interengageable portions in the projecting position of the spout, and rigid means carried by the nozzle and cooperable with the spout for forcing said interengageable portion into tight frictional contact.

5. A dispensing tting for containers comprising a nozzle secured to the container and projecting therefrom, said nozzle being generally of oblong form, a spout of generally U-shaped form .and comprising spaced side wings and a curved connecting portion at one end of the side wings, means mounting the spout on the nozzle so that it may be projected therefrom in pouring position or may be disposed within the container, means co-acting with the side wings of the spout to aid in maintaining it in pouring position, the rearmost portions of the edges of the side wings of the spout being spaced at substantial distance from the rear end of the nozzle whereby to provide an unobstructed venting opening of substantial area through the nozzle and to the rear of the spout in all operative pouring positions of the container.

6. A dispensing fitting for containers comprising an elongated nozzle adapted to be secured to and project from the container, a spout of generally U-shaped form and comprising spaced side wings and a connecting portion between said wings at one end thereof, a hinge connection between the inner edge of said connecting portion and the inner edge of one end of the nozzle whereby the spout may hang down within the container or may be swung in a position projecting through and beyond said nozzle, the side wings frictionally engaging the sides of the nozzle, the rearmost portions of the-edges of the wings of the spout terminating in spaced relation to the adjacent end of the nozzle to define an unobstructed venting opening in all operative pouring positions of the container, the rear edges of said wings being curved, and rigid means carried by the nozzle and co-acting with the vcurved edges of the wings for forcing the spout into tight frictional engagement with the nozzle in the extended position of the spout.

ALFRED J. CHAMBERLAIN. 

